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The Ultimate EDGE LED setup.....


MFChop

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Fist off a special thanks to Milad from LEDGroupbuy.com he was a huge help before and after my purchase

 

So after looking around and seeing all the what I though were failed attempts at DIY lighting for the EDGE. I though they looked sloppy or ruined the EDGE look. So I looked into the nano customs and as we all know is no longer producing them. Then I looked to other companies nano lighting options and once again either ruined the look of the EDGE and some are just to dam expensive....So here is my solution!

 

Parts:

6 XP-E Royal Blue Cree LEDs

3 XM-L Neutral White LEDs

9 Adhesive Cree Tape

1 DIM4 Sunrise Sunset Controller

 

1 5amp 12v AC convertor

1 20mm Female DC Jack Mountable

1 Rubber Grommet 5/16id

1 Project Box 5.75"x3.3"x2"

1 Acrylic 11"*8"

 

1 Pentium 2 Heatsink

1ft 18awg Red

1ft 18awg Black

6ft 24awg Conductor wire

6ft Cable Shielding

 

Tools:

Soldering Iron

Wire Strippers / Cutters

Dremal

Acrylic Cutter

Screwdriver

IMG_1107.jpg

 

Box/Controller

 

So fist I stared with the DIM4. I wanted to make an enclosure for it because well and open circuit board near water is not good. (please note Milad recommends not to put the DIM4 in a sealed enclosure as it puts out some heat)

 

I started with ur basic project box and drill 4 holes in the metal lid and attached the DIM4 with the supplied hardware.

IMG_1109.jpg

 

Then drilled a whole on the left side to mount the AC/DC jack and a whole on the right with a grommet for the wire to the LEDs and ran the 8 conductor wire out the side.

IMG_1110.jpg

IMG_1141.jpg

 

I then cut the "bottom" of the project box as seen

Once this was done a used the metal base to cut a piece of matching Acrylic for a "window"

IMG_1152.jpg

 

As stated earlier Milad does not recommend placing in a sealed box as it does disperses some heat

My solution was to use some washers to create some ventilation for the box

 

Here's a mock up picture of the box without the clear cover

IMG_1193.jpg

 

Final Product of the Box / Controller

PICTURE COMING SOON

 

Next the actual LED lighting.

For a Heatsink I used an old Pentium 2 Heatsink as seen in Milad's thread previously. They are very small, very efficient, readily available and generally cheap. As you will see later the one I purchased worked out very well..

IMG_1114.jpg

 

Here shows the arrangement not perfect but due to the size of the tank and where the lights sit there is no "disco" effect.

IMG_1116.jpg

IMG_1118.jpg

 

Once they were all stuck on using the adhesive tape supplied by LEDGroupbuy.com I soldered them

Each row is on its own channel ie 3 RB 3NW 3RB

 

 

I then also soldered the fan wires aswell

Next mounting the Heatsink:

Instead of playing with a million ideas I decided why mess with a good thing and mounted the heatsink to the original arm this allows me to service the tank as normal and doesn't require tremendous modification.

 

Fist I deconstructed the Arm removing the wiring and MR11 fixtures

Then cut out the bottom of the Arm housing

IMG_1148.jpg

 

And now as you can see the Heatsink slid right over

Although the fan is not attached I left it off to the side and will notch out the arm if necessary

After a week of full use found the heatsink did a great job without the use of the fan, so I just removed it

IMG_1153.jpg

IMG_1156.jpg

 

I then cut a piece of a acrylic to cover the lid to prevent splash up from damaging the LEDs

IMG_1155.jpg

 

Here is the final product....

Day

IMG_1157.jpg

Night

IMG_1145.jpg

 

Here are the settings I used as recommended by Milad 5hrs=1 hour on 3 string LED

Settings

Ch1 3 XP-E Royal Blue Max 9.5v Start 4am Full 9am Set 8pm Off 1am

Ch2 3 XP-E Royal Blue Max 9.5v Start 4am Full 9am Set 11pm Off 3:39am

Ch2 3 XM-L Neutral White Max 8.9v Start 4am Full 9am Set 8pm Off 1am

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They work so great I actually bought a few I wanna make some more I want another EDGE for myself and maybe sell the others

 

My next one thought Im gonna use 3 3Up Crees from LEDGroupbuy.com

 

I may modify this one a little more but will update the pics accordingly

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Milad LEDGroupBuy.com

That has the to be one of the slickest edge builds ive seen, no fan, reused P2 heatsink, looks great. I saw an edge for sale this week and I almost bought it, luckily I didn't see this build until now otherwise it would have given me an excuse to purchase it.

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That has the to be one of the slickest edge builds ive seen, no fan, reused P2 heatsink, looks great. I saw an edge for sale this week and I almost bought it, luckily I didn't see this build until now otherwise it would have given me an excuse to purchase it.

 

Thanks Milad!!!

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Build looks sick mfchop. Where did you get that project box for the dim4. I'm looking for something like this because I'm about to start my dim4 spice garden soon. Also do you have pics of the dim4 box finished ?

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Build looks sick mfchop. Where did you get that project box for the dim4. I'm looking for something like this because I'm about to start my dim4 spice garden soon. Also do you have pics of the dim4 box finished ?

I got it at a local electronics store, Im trying to source one double sided to eliminate cutting the bottom off. Hopefully Ill find one soon. Mines a little shot on the trim work plastics a PITA to cut sometimes lol hence no pic yet.

 

Awesome work!

 

Any chance you'd consider making one and selling? If so, what would you charge?

 

I might either make a few more or sell the parts to DIY

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  • 3 weeks later...

So its been almost a month now and all I have to say is Im extremely happy with the results. My corals are happy, my water temp isnt effect. Only down fall is the growth of algae I have but that's just due to the time its on....

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Hinesassociates
So its been almost a month now and all I have to say is Im extremely happy with the results. My corals are happy, my water temp isnt effect. Only down fall is the growth of algae I have but that's just due to the time its on....

 

Great tank! I am kinda sorta borrowing your light build a little. (hope thats ok) :) Anyway just wanted to say thanks for the inspiration! Awesome idea with the P2 heat sink! I might have to attach some extra metal on mine to fit the extra 3 lights but still its a very cool idea. Keep us updated please on this!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Awesome build! It's inspired me to start something similar for my Edge 12g. Any thing's you would change or do differently if you had do build it again? Also, do you have any pics yet of how the DIM4 is mounted inside the aquarium hood?

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  • 2 weeks later...
I am really keen to see some photos of the box you mounted the DIM4 in as i have to do the same and i am after some ideas.

 

 

+1 Any update?

 

I'm heavily thinking about doing this too! Just wish I could find a heat sink 6" x 3.5"....but think I might have to use what I can find. Thanks again for the inspiration. How is the heat?

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+1 Any update?

 

I'm heavily thinking about doing this too! Just wish I could find a heat sink 6" x 3.5"....but think I might have to use what I can find. Thanks again for the inspiration. How is the heat?

 

Still running great! Just go out and buy a Pentium 2 heatsink there $5-$10, the heat is fine without the fan but depending on the heatsink you buy you might wanna keep the fan

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Any pics yet as to how you've hid the DIM4?

Also I wonder if Milad or any of the other DIY experts can suggest whether 9 LEDs would be sufficient for the Edge 12g or should I step it up with 12 LEDs? I'm about to take the plunge and make an order.

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Just like Cronus41, I'm also looking for a mod for an Edge 12 gal, and wonder if this setup would be sufficient, or to increase to more LED's, or perhaps increase the power somehow to increase penetration since the 12 gal is twice the depth. Any help from DIY guru's would be much appreciated.

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Milad LEDGroupBuy.com
Any pics yet as to how you've hid the DIM4?

Also I wonder if Milad or any of the other DIY experts can suggest whether 9 LEDs would be sufficient for the Edge 12g or should I step it up with 12 LEDs? I'm about to take the plunge and make an order.

 

I would do 12 LEDs and dim it down if you need. The price difference is minimal.

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Thanks Milad,

 

So would you suggest 7 Blue and 5 White in a 12 LED combination?

 

Also, I am in Australia - so I'd have to source my own 5amp 12V converter, right? And you (LEDGroupBuy.com) ship here OK?

 

cheers

 

pete

 

 

 

I would do 12 LEDs and dim it down if you need. The price difference is minimal.
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My Edge gets picked up tonight, then I begin this same project. I noticed you mentioned using 3- 3 UP Crees, I have not ordered anything yet, and wonder if this would be a better way to go and I am not in a hurry. Anybody have some quick and dirty dimensions on a Pentium 2 heat sink? I found a source in a pc recycle place but its just a pile of heat sinks from all kinds of processors

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Milad LEDGroupBuy.com
Thanks Milad,

 

So would you suggest 7 Blue and 5 White in a 12 LED combination?

 

Also, I am in Australia - so I'd have to source my own 5amp 12V converter, right? And you (LEDGroupBuy.com) ship here OK?

 

cheers

 

pete

 

Probably better to do 8 Royal Blue and 4 Neutral White.

And yes we ship to Australia

We actually now offer a much cheaper shipping to Australia, UK, Denmark, Norway, and a couple other places that arent coming up in my head right now. Its much cheaper but on average its something like 3 weeks in transit compared to about 6 days with our express shipping.

 

My Edge gets picked up tonight, then I begin this same project. I noticed you mentioned using 3- 3 UP Crees, I have not ordered anything yet, and wonder if this would be a better way to go and I am not in a hurry. Anybody have some quick and dirty dimensions on a Pentium 2 heat sink? I found a source in a pc recycle place but its just a pile of heat sinks from all kinds of processors

 

The P2 i stripped from a computer is a 5x2 heatsink and i replaced the fan with a small 40mm cheap fan. You can fit 12 LEDs on a 5x2

 

The point of the heatsink is, just find a CPU heatsink that will fit in the edge, the P2 seems to work great though.

 

The new 3UP stars we carry are probably a good simple way to go. Gives you the ability to put more on a heatsink but I would probably just get 4 and put them on the corners of the heatsink.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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